


Aftermath

by SpaceHerm



Category: Lego Ninjago, The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)
Genre: Blood, Bullying, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mild Gore, Mild Language, it’s not awful either but it’s there...., not really much but just in case, this is mainly about Lloyd and his friendship with everyone tbh, uhh....
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-03-21 00:47:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13729572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceHerm/pseuds/SpaceHerm
Summary: Lloyd may have revealed himself as the hero of the city, but it’ll take a bit longer for the people of ninjago to get over their habit of treating him so badly. Especially his bully, Chen.





	1. First Day

**Author's Note:**

> These are just my ideas on what I think happens after the events of the movie! It kinda combines the movie and show universes. But only with character personalities for the most part. I added some of my own headcannons and ideas obviously.

For the first time in years, Lloyd walks into the school with his sleeves rolled up, his patches of black scales glinting in the light. The teen waves to the other students who stare in awe, the short claws on the ends of his fingers each painted black to match his scales. Lloyd had wanted his first day coming to school as the real him to go as well as possible. He’d thought of everything: carefully polishing the scales to a perfect shine, finding the perfect black for his nails, even asking his dad how to make sure your teeth looked just right no matter the expression on your face.

  
It was a strange feeling, having people look at you, the _real_ you, and not be full of hatred. An even stranger feeling to be _proud_ of who you really were. The experience was so foreign to Lloyd that it almost seemed like he was on the outside of his body, watching everything unfold.

“Lookin’ good, Lloyd!!!” Nya calls from the lockers she’s leaned against. Jay is beside her, nervously playing with his scarf and trying to act like he wasn't completely freaking out inside. Lloyd can't help but smile at his anxious friend. It was nearly summer and the lighting ninja was still wearing that scarf like a security blanket. Lloyd couldn’t blame him though, sometimes he wish he had something so comforting to carry around.

“Indeed!” Zane pulls Lloyd’s attention away as he approaches from the end of the hallway, Cole close behind and playing music from his ever-present boombox, “I believe the black you have chosen for your nails perfectly complements the naturally dark hues of your scales. They create a rather nice spectrum of da-”

“Colors look rad, dude!” Cole finishes for the android, nodding with an approving smile.

“Thanks, guys!” Lloyd replies, beaming with his freshly sharpened fangs. It had taken a while for them to grow back in after he’d spent so long filing them down, but now that they were here, Lloyd couldn't help but remember how...natural it felt. He’d missed having them.  
The thought was interrupted as Lloyd is lifted into the air in a tight hug.

“Look at my little bro!!!! Gettin’ all dressed up!!!!” Kai shakes the other teen back and forth, “I'm so proud of you!!”

“K-Kai!! Too much!!!” Lloyd wheezes, trying to wriggle free. The older boy lets go with a bellowing laugh and throws an arm over the other’s shoulder.

“It’s just so cool that you're just, ya know! Walking around like this!! I haven't seen you show off your teeth like that since elementary school! And I never even knew you had scales!!”

Lloyd shakes off the hug and opens his mouth to reply with a smile just as the bell rings. Students hurry to their first classes, the small group of friends being brushed past as if they weren’t there. The ninja wave goodbye and head off to their respective rooms, Jay linking his arm into Lloyd’s to drag him off to their science class.

* * *

 

The pair reaches the door with only a few seconds to spare, but Lloyd still stops in his tracks before they can enter.

“Jay…? Do you think I...look like a monster?” He questions nervously, rubbing the back of his neck and looking at his feet.

“What? N-No! Of course not!” Jay replies with his usual stutter and lisp, “I-I mean, you’re not hissing anymore!” He laughs, “Remember when we f-first met? You hissed at me and bit my hand.”  
The lighting ninja holds up his right hand to show his missing middle finger.

“Not helping.”

“Sorry…No, Lloyd, you look fine,” The two smile, giving each other a thumbs up to boost confidence before opening the classroom door.

 


	2. He’s not like us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Science class doesn’t really go well when you have to sit right next to your bully who seems to make it his goal to set you apart from everyone you at every turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably say a few things. 
> 
> In this au, Chen and Jay used to be friends when they were in elementary school. Lloyd used to be pretty violent back then because he couldn’t control his strength all that well. He accidentally ripped Jay’s middle off. Eventually Jay and Lloyd became friends obviously but Chen still holds a grudge against Lloyd. Also, in this au the timeline is sorta played with so Chen the Cheerleader is Skylor’s son, and she named him after her Dad hoping he would be good. It never really comes up, but I thought I’d put it out there....

The pair smile encouragingly at each other and open the door. 

After the bell had already rung…

“Ah, nice to see you decided to show up Mr. Garmadon,” The teacher says snidely, pointing to the pair’s desks, “You two can take a seat now if you wouldn't mind.”

Students snicker, as they would at any student, but only calling on Lloyd seemed to have singled him out purposefully. He takes a deep breath and sits down, telling himself it was just the teacher being passive aggressive about being late, not taking a shot at his family. He glances at Jay as he takes his own seat on the other side of the room, quietly wishing they'd sat beside each other for the millionth time.

“Kinda funny that he only called _you_ out, isn't it?” Chen asks from his seat behind Lloyd, the cocky smirk painfully obvious in his voice, “It’s kinda like people still hate you for helping your dad destroy the city, huh?”

Lloyd feels the usual impulsive need to slap the arrogance and pride out of the bully but instead puts a smile on and shrugs nonchalantly.

“Not really, I _was_ the first one through the door and I was late,” He doesn't turn to face the other boy, knowing full well it’ll just lead to more hurt.

The teacher gets up from behind his desk and begins his lesson, something interesting on evolution or maybe cells. Lloyd honestly can’t pay attention, all he can feel is the deep unease in the pit of his stomach. It feels as though everyone is whispering about him, staring at him, digging their eyes into him and tearing him apart silently.

Lloyd pulls his sleeves down, hiding the small scales.

“What’s that, Garmadork!? Aww, did you cut up your arms and get little scars?” Chen questions with a snicker, reaching around and grabbing Lloyd by the wrist. The head cheerleader glances to the front of the class to be sure the only adult in the room wasn't paying attention. Once the coast is clear, he yanks the fabric down, revealing the scales that glint in the synthetic light.

“You really are a monster…” he says, almost to himself. A wicked grin crosses his face for a moment before he drops Lloyd’s arm.

Lloyd sinks down in his chair, holding his sleeve and hoping beyond hope that no one saw that. The ball of impulsive anger twisting around in his stomach gets bigger, more violent.

“Sir, excuse me, sir!” Chen calls politely, waving his hand to get the teacher’s attention, a charming smile playing across his lips, “Would it be cool if I presented something really quick on natural selection? Since we’re on the topic of evolution, of course!”

“We’re really not getting to Darwinism until later this unit, but what the heck, this is the most excited I've seen you all week, Chen!” The teacher steps aside as Chen trots to the front of the class.

The teen clears his throat, and smooths out his varsity jacket proudly, basking in the attention. He opens his mouth and then fakes surprise as if he’d forgotten something.

“I’m so sorry, sir! But I forgot that I needed two volunteers! Could you pick them for me?”

Lloyd’s heart sinks. He knew this teacher, knew this game too. This teacher had a thing for picking the students who’d been late to class and Chen knew it too.

“Walker, Garmadon, looks like you've been volunteered!” The teacher unsurprisingly states.

Lloyd pulls his hood up as he gets to his feet, shuffling to the front. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Jay stumble and trip his way forward, shaking with anxiety. It was Lloyd Chen wanted, so why put Jay through this too?

Chen flops his arm around Lloyd’s shoulder once he’s standing beside him, leaning on him as if they were friends.

“So natural selection helps make sure nature keeps on going right? All the strongest and most reliable animals keep on going, right? So let’s say we’ve got two birds right here, right? You’ve got Jay who’s nervous and scared and stays in his place,” Chen makes a sudden movement and Jay jumps, tucking his head further into the folds of his orange scarf, “See Jay here stays alive because he listens to his instincts! He’s scared of stronger animals which helps people- I mean- birds like him keep on going!”

“Now Lloyd, on the other hand, well he’s _not_ a reliable bird. He doesn't listen to his instincts, he wants to be _special_.”

The teacher nods along with this lesson as if it were a serious example, but the students can tell it’s not. Lloyd stays still, trying to hide all the emotions swimming dangerously close to the surface. All he had to do is last through this, and then he could put his focus on helping Jay and forget this ever happened.

“Lloyd here comes from a specific line of birds that seem to only know how to destroy and hurt and fight _against_ everything here. Now does that seem like something nature needs?”

Students shake their heads, trying to stifle their giggles.

“And what kind of bird has _this_!” Chen grabs both of Lloyd’s arms, holding them up. He rips the sleeves downwards, the black scales clearly visible for the class to see, “Now does that seem like something anyone but a _monster_ needs!?”

Time seems to freeze as Lloyd stares up at his claws and scales. This was meant to be a special day. He was supposed to be proud of these things. And now….all Lloyd could see was things that made him unneeded and unwanted by everyone. Things that were meant for nothing but destruction.

Jay noticed the far-off look in Lloyd’s eyes and reaches under Chen’s arm to tug at his friend’s hoodie, trying to snap him out of it.

Lloyd slowly lowers his arms and turns his head toward Chen, who’s got the biggest satisfied smirk on his face. Lloyd can faintly hear the sound of roaring laughter from his classmates, but none of that matters anymore. If they really never would see him as anything more than a monster, then what was the point? Who cared anymore?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really hoping this is going well and making sense. I’m sorry if it isn’t. The next 1-2 chapters are going to be a bit more violent, so feel free to skip them if you want!


	3. Enough.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You save the city countless times. You try to be a good person. You spend years hiding everything thta made you different from the world. But the one time you try to be yourself, and someone has to drag you back down to the bottom. Well enough is enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah.....uh....Chen is gonna get a bit messed up...not a ton, but just enough. (tbh i’ve rewritten this part so many times and this is actually the LEAST violent version.........)

Jay watches in horror as Lloyd’s pupil’s narrow threateningly, as if he were a cobra preparing to strike. A low, menacing hiss rushes out of Lloyd's throat. It was a dangerous sound, one that made Jay and Chen's hearts drop. Lloyd whirls around to his bully, launching himself at him.

Chen’s skull cracks against the linoleum, dagger-like claws wrapped around his arms to pin him down and Lloyd’s knee was solidly planted on his chest, squeezing more air from his lungs by the second. Lloyd leans in closer, hissing with rage. His fangs seemed to glitter in the unnatural white lights of the classroom. Chen shifts his arm, searching for anything he could use as a weapon with his fingertips.

Lloyd quickly bites down on the bully’s shoulder, stopping his hand before he can grab any sort of tool. Chen screeches with pain, trying desperately to wriggle free.

“C-Come on, it was a joke, Garmadon!! It was a fucking joke!” He begs, making a last ditch effort to save himself.

“Shut up, Chen,” the master of life spits, blood dripping from his mouth. Part of Lloyd knew this was wrong, but it just felt so good to finally, _finally_ , get some sort of revenge. He _liked_ that he could see the fear in his abuser’s eyes.

A body barrels into Lloyd, knocking him into the now empty desks. He skids to a stop, balancing on all fours and sending an enraged screech at whoever had attacked him. Jay scrambles to his feet, getting into a battle stance, but shaking with fear. Attacking Lloyd had caused some of Chen’s blood to smear onto Jay’s clothes and had etched a cut through his left eyebrow, which now dripped thick red blood.

The terror in his friend’s eyes made Lloyd freeze. He looks around the room, at the faces of frightened students who had done the one thing they’d been taught to do during one of his dad’s attacks: duck and cover. Now that he was taking time to evaluate, the sounds of alarms finally reached Lloyd’s ears, the sounds of people running, of students calling for each other. And lastly the smell. The awful metallic smell that was splattered all over his hoodie and dripping down his throat. It disgusted him.

Lloyd looks up at Jay, his pupils returning to normal and filling with guilt.

“I’m so sorry…” He says, his voice wavering. Jay reaches a hand toward his friend, wanting to fix this together. Lloyd grabs Jay by the arm, digging his claws in for extra grip, and flings him as if he were a doll across the room, where he slams into the back wall. Lloyd takes one last look that his friend is still breathing before bolting through the door and down the hallway.

* * *

 Jay struggles to his feet, red hot, pulsing blood dripping into his eye. He coughs and grasps at his chest, wincing at the feeling of bone grinding bone in his side.

Snapped rib.

The blue ninja looks around the classroom, checking for any more injuries. Only Chen remains and even he slowly picks himself off the ground, choking on the blood in his throat and holding his arm to stop the blood. So Lloyd had held himself back, at least on Chen…

“Do you n-need me to call somebody for you?” Jay asks the cheerleader weakly, limping over to him. Chen glares at him, spitting a glob of blood at his feet.

“Screw off, you’re friends with that thing!” He snaps, coughing as the wounds on his cracked head seep out more blood with the effort of talking. Jay sighs weakly, regretting it the moment he does as a new surge of pain wells up.

“Come on, Chen…Can’t we give th-this up? Just for right now?”

“Give it up? Give it up!? Jay, what happened to you!? Don't you remember what he did to you? To _us!_?” Chen’s voice is hoarse, destroyed by his injuries, “He _tortured_ us, Jay? Do you know how many times I’d go home with bite marks all over my arms? And my grandma couldn’t do anything about it!” An odd, broken noise wells up in the bully’s throat, tears threatening to spill down his face, “That family has done nothing but hurt mine...They destroyed my grandma’s house! Lloyd is a monster and so is his dad. You should know that by now!”

Jay glances down at his damaged side.

Lloyd had done this.

His eyes move to the hand supporting his broken rib. The stub of his missing finger is coated in scarlet.

Lloyd had done that too.

But this wasn’t Lloyd, this was Lloyd’s fear and anger. That impulsiveness that made him quick to act but just as quick to attack. Everyone on the team knew that and accepted it. They forgave him for something he couldn’t entirely control. 

“H-He’s not like that a-anymore, he ap-apologized. You should g-give him a chance.” 

“Fat chance, scarf boy.”

Jay sighs again, wishing his childhood friend could see Lloyd the way the team saw him. Lloyd cared so much for this city and these people and they all spit on him daily. Jay didn’t know how he handled it all. 

A quiet thought tugs at the back of the lighting ninja’s mind, however. The voice of small boy in the hospital, wondering how he would ever be seen as anything other than a freak with a missing finger. That small voice in Jay’s head urged him to protect the people first, no matter how much he worried about Lloyd. 

“C-Come on, I’ll ca-call an ambulance for you...” 

Jay gently ushers Chen toward the door. The two limp out of the classroom, passing a nearby supply closet on their way to the lobby.

Jay’s eyes catch the glimpse of scratches on the wood as if an animal had clawed its way up to the handle to open it. Lloyd was in there, his gut knew it. Most of his instincts told him to stop and help his friend, but the part that remembered the constant fear Lloyd had brought his younger self, told him to forget it.

Lloyd was dangerous, that was obvious, and if Jay’s duty was the protect these people against evil, wouldn't letting a threat destroy itself protect everyone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s going to be suicide themes in the next chapter included an attempt that’s not described in major detail but it does happen. I just wanted to put a warning here just in case.


	4. An Early Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If the world only ever sees you as one, even after everything, why try to change? Why fight against a destiny the world gave you from the start?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another quick note, I kinda started writing this BEFORE I saw season 7 (I was really behind), so I’m this AU Kai and Nya’s parents are dead and their uncles Ronin and Dareth adopted them. Kai was old enough to remember is happening, and it’s not had a great effect on him. Also, major trigger warning for a suicide attempt. I don’t describe it too heavily, but it’s there. I just really really don’t want anyone to be badly affected, so please take care of yourself

Sticky, wet, staining blood. It was everywhere. Lloyd tears at his hoodie, shaking as he tries to get away from the feeling. The blood mixed with the smell of cleaning chemicals, burning the boy’s throat and suffocating him.

He covers his nose and mouth with his hands, trying to block out the smell. Blood smears his face, sticking to his golden hair. It’s everywhere. Lloyd’s breathing quickens, his heart races, but he still refuses to let himself cry.

Lloyd stops fighting the feeling of the thick liquid now drying on his skin and clothes, stops fighting the smells that overpower the small space. He lets his hands drop limply at his sides, staring blankly at the other wall.

“If all I will ever be is destructive...why try to fight it…?” The outcast asks the silence. He weakly lifts his arms back up, pulling the sleeve up on the right one and holding the other over it, claws outstretched.

Which spot had his mom always warned him to be careful not to hurt…? Lloyd scans his own arm for the most visible vein, the one he’d been told led straight to a major artery.

Lloyd lowers his claws towards the perfect place, his eyes glazed over and mind blank. Soon there'd be nothing. Just the sickly smell of blood and the cold emptiness that would follow. Maybe Ninjago City could finally rest and his friends could finally move on, do something more worthwhile with the endless amount of time continuously stolen from them.

* * *

 

A fist slams against the door behind Lloyd, causing the wood to creak with the sheer impact.

“Lloyd!! Lloyd, are you ok!?? Why the hell didn't you tell us earlier, Jay!?" Cole's voice roars from the other side.

“I-I wanted to make sure everyone was safe first!” Jay’s whimpering stutter replies to the louder voice. There’s a rustle of fabric and the sound of someone getting slammed against a wall.

“What if he killed himself, Jay!! What if he’s dead in there!!” It’s Kai this time, the irrational fear dripping from his voice as thick as the blood tainting Lloyd’s tongue.

“Kai! Get off him! This isn't helping anybody!” Nya’s voice now.

“It would take approximately half an hour for Lloyd to bleed out if he hurt himself the moment he left the room, meaning we have about 3 minutes left to banter befo-”

“NOT HELPING ZANE!” Cole snaps. The strongest of the ninja slams his fist against the door again, trying to get in, “Lloyd, please say something!”

Lloyd leans his head against the door behind him, flames welling up in his eyes. Why did they all care about him? What could he possibly give all his friends that made him worth saving?

“Don’t you ever think about how much better off you’d be if you were dead…?” Lloyd says quietly, laying his hand on his arm tiredly, not yet digging his small claws in.

“I mean...of course I do Lloyd, everyone does sometimes,” The handle twists as Cole replies. He’s whispering, as if he doesn't want the others to hear, “Come on, dude, just talk to me...Tell me how I can help…”

Lloyd shakes his head, letting out a weak laugh as the flames finally run down his cheeks, leaving soot in their path.

“Why do you guys even care about me? My own dad didn’t even care enough to change for me…” Lloyd sniffs and picks at his skin. He leaves a long, thin slice where his hands move, “I’ll just end up breaking everything and never putting it back together. It’s all my family has _ever_ been good at.”

The door groans as someone violently rams into it.

“Bro, I’m telling you right now to let me in!! I’m gonna give you the biggest hug I can to show you how much I care!!” Kai laughs, but it’s just a thin mask to hide the panic coursing through his body. Nya knew the wild look in her brother's eye: He didn’t want to lose another family member.

Lloyd hiccups with how hard he’s crying now, and the more fire running down his face, the more he digs his claws in, trying to force the emotion out of himself.

Blood is oozing out of the deep cut now, making his head dizzy. The room spins, the chemical and metallic smell in the air making the colors pool in his vision. Sounds fade into the background and suddenly Lloyd is aware of the burning, stinging pain all over his body. It was the same feeling he got whenever he accidentally hurt himself but amplified to a point that he couldn't move.

“It’s ok guys…I won’t bother you anymore…” Lloyd wheezes, slumping against the door further as he waits for everything to drift away.

* * *

 

The moment Lloyd stops talking Cole sends his fist through the wooden door with a new surge of strength. Before he can enter, Kai is pushing past him, screaming for Lloyd to be ok.

A stream of blood dark as ink oozes from a single cut on the green ninja’s arm, bright blood smeared across his hoodie and matting his blonde hair. Fire tears drip into the small pool of blood extinguishing as they hit the liquid.

Kai’s body shakes violently as he stares at the bloody scene. The taste in the air is vile, all of it bringing memories flooding back. Distant screams echo through the normally energetic boy’s mind, keeping him in place.

“Kai?” Cole lays his hand on his friend’s shoulder carefully, “Kai, are you ok?”

“Mom…? Dad…?” Kai says to himself in a trance. He sways as if he were about to faint.

“Kai, it’s not them, I promise it’s not them,” Nya assures him, trying to pull him away. Kai shakes her off and darts inside, gathering the smaller teen into his arms as big tears start rolling down his face. He hiccups and coughs with grief as he tries desperately to lift Lloyd up, but the green ninja is deadweight in his arms.

“Let me take him…” Cole reaches for Lloyd carefully. Kai pulls the limp body closer to himself, shaking his head violently.

“I can do this!!! I can help him!!!” He cries, clinging to his surrogate little brother. Cole glances at Zane, silently giving him a message. The android nods and moves closer to Kai.

“I'm sorry, but I wasn't really asking,” Cole snatches Lloyd out of Kai’s vice-like grip as carefully as possible. Kai lunges at his friend, but a cold hand stops him in his path. Zane wraps his arms around Kai as he struggles and kicks, screaming to be allowed to help Lloyd. Cole keeps the green ninja cradled his arms as he heads out to get help.

“Jay, Zane, go get Lloyd’s parents!” Nya orders, giving her brother a quick hug in a futile attempt to calm him down, “And take care of Kai.”  
The two nod in understanding and move to drag Kai towards the small apartment Lloyd called home. Nya snatches a few clean rags from the supply closet, sprinting after Cole.

As Kai watches his friends disappear around the corner, the fight drains from his limbs. His eyes drift back to the pool of blood Jay and Zane were dragging him away from. Lloyd was gone, his knew it. He'd lost another family member and there was nothing he could've done. Just like last time.

“Come o-on, Kai, he’ll be ok,” Jay assures him, trying to give an encouraging smile. Jay’s brow still drips with blood, turning the smile sad rather than reassuring.

“Correct! Lloyd is very tough, he will be alright,” Zane agrees, nodding mechanically. Lloyd’s blood was transferring from Kai’s hands onto the android’s sweater vest.

“He's dead…” Kai says quietly, allowing himself to go limp and be dragged, “I couldn't help him…”  
Jay and Zane look at each other, both equally shocked by the defeated tone in their friend’s voice. This was unlike him.

“That is not true. You telling Lloyd you cared will likely help him through this difficult time. He will be happy to see you at the hospital,” Zane explains, pushing the door open with his shoulders.

“He's dead he's dead he's dead he's dead,” Kai keeps saying, big tears rolling down his cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hi welcome to dark chapter. Things’ll get better soon.


	5. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now’s not the time to tear things apart, it’s time to bring everyone together again. It’s time to support each other and get through this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m heavily mixing movie Garmadon and show Garmadon’s personalities, sorry. And Kai doesn’t really hate robots and androids, he’s just impulsive and lashes out.

Lloyd shifts in his sleep, whimpering at the familiar pain in his arm. His head aches as he shifts again, the chemical smell of the supply closet still burning his nose. A hand runs over his head, a low voice hushing him.

“It's ok...you're ok now…” a second hand is laid on Lloyd’s bandaged arm, careful not to apply too much pressure, “I'm right here for you, Luh-Lloyd.”

The odd pronunciation makes Lloyd laugh quietly in his sleepy state.

“Lloyd…” the teenager corrects, smiling and settling into his new position. Garmadon nods and chuckles sadly, brushing his son's hair out of his face.

“Lloyd, right…”

The hospital room door swings quietly open, allowing Koko to enter with an armful of snacks and a well-organized bag.

“How's he doing?” She questions dumping the brightly colored food containers onto a table and reaching into the larger bag. She pulls out a large stuffed black cobra with red button eyes and places it next to her son’s face.

“The doctor said the cleaner fumes mixing with the blood is what made him pass out, not the cut...” Garmadon answers, wanting to know why his child would ever do this but not wanting to overwhelm Koko anymore than she already was. Instead, he watches as Lloyd wraps his arms around the fake snake, smushing his face into its soft, felt scales. The ex-warlord’s red eyes stare at the snake’s red button ones.

“Who’s this?”

Koko smiles and lays her hand on her ex-husband’s shoulder.

“That's Oto. Lloyd tried throwing him away when he was little, but I kept him so I could give him back one day,” She leans over and plants a gentle kiss on Lloyd’s forehead, “I'd hoped it would be under happier circumstances…”

The woman takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but it doesn't stop the quiet tears from welling up in her eyes. Garmadon gets up from his chair beside the hospital bed, wrapping his four arms around his ex-wife in a hug.

“Koko, I...I’m sorry I wasn't there for the two of you…” He apologizes, resting his head on top of hers. She punches the warlord’s side roughly.

“You should be! You should've been there!!” She sobs into him, wrapping her arms around her ex, “You should've changed, you moron…”

“I know...I'm sorry…” He kisses the top of her head, “I'm so sorry…”

“I tried so hard to show him he didn't have to be scared of himself…And all you ever did was show him he should be….” She punches Garmadon again, but it's weaker now, full of despair rather than rage, “He just wanted you to be there.”  
Garmadon nods, keeping his arms around her.

“I should never’ve let you go…”

“Well you did, and look at what happened to our son.” Koko feels her ex wince at the harsh words and instantly feels bad, “I’m sorry…I didn't get any sleep last night…”

“No no, you're right. If I would've gone after you, none of this would be happening…” Garmadon reaches down with one of his arms and picks up a hospital-provided blanket he'd left folded beside his chair. With two of his arms still hugging Koko, he drapes the cloth over her shoulders, “Get some rest, Koks, I'll get you something better to eat.”  
He moves aside to give her his seat, which she tiredly takes. The woman carefully intertwines her fingers with her sleeping son’s.

“I really didn't mean it, Garm…”

“It's ok if you did,” Garmadon tucks a piece of Koko’s unkempt hair behind her ear, “I’ll be right back.”

* * *

 

In the larger waiting area, the ninja take up most of the small square of couches. Nya and Jay are leaned against each other, both snoring quietly. Cole’s head is slumped back in his seat, his arms still crossed in a slumbering worry. Kai hugs his knees to his chest, a far-off look in his black eyes. Zane plays an odd game by himself, sorting the many candies the friends had brought for Lloyd into different groups.

A thump, followed by a curse and a “stupid helmet” pulls the android away from his game. Garmadon comes from the hallway, setting his elaborate headwear back in place.

“Lord Garmadon, how is Lloyd doing?” Zane says, tilting his head in an odd manner to show his monotone voice intended a question.

“It's just Garmadon, Zack-” Zane’s correction of his own name goes unnoticed, “-And he's doing better. He woke up for a second, actually. Koko’s with him right now.”

“That is nice to hear. We were all very worried,” Zane forces himself to smile, “We are very excited to give him his presents.”

Even with a voice as wooden and blank as the printers at work, Garmadon somehow still felt that his son’s odd friend was being sincere. He smiled back at the android.

“Judging by all that candy, I'm sure Lloyd will be happy to see you all! You know, he's always had a sweet tooth, even when he was a baby,” Garmadon’s smile fades, thinking back on the old days. He shakes his head and begins to hurry out of the room, “I've gotta get Koko coffee and something to eat, I'll see you kids when I get back.”

“You don't _really_ care…” Kai says quietly once Garmadon is gone. His voice is raw from crying and far quieter than anything anyone was used to. Zane turns his unnaturally blue eyes onto his friend, head tilted with curiosity. This was the first time Kai had spoken since Lloyd…

Perhaps he was recovering from the shock.

“You never really cared…” Kai glares at the android, holding his legs tighter.

“That is incorrect, Kai. I simply show my affection and compassion for you all in a diff-”

“You didn't care that Lloyd almost killed himself, just admit it!” Kai spits, leaping to his feet, “You didn't care because you can't! He suffers so much for you! For all of us! And you can't even bring yourself to care whether he lives or dies!!”

The other three teenagers jolt awake with the sudden shouting. Jay grabs his bandaged head as the noise causes a headache through his fractured skull.

“Kai, what the hell?” Nya rubs the sleep from her eyes before realizing what she was saying, “KAI! Kai, you're talking!” The younger sister darts from her seat and picks up her brother in a big hug. “Uncle Dareth and I were sooo worried, bro!! Uncle Ronin was too, even if he won’t admit it!”

Kai wriggles out of his sister’s grip and stalks towards Zane, pulling the android to his feet by the front of his sweater vest.

“You don't even care that I'm yelling at you! Or that I'm talking! You don't care about anything but yourself!!” Kai growls, his eyes burning into Zane’s blank ones.

“No, I care very much for-”

Cole is up now, pulling his friends apart calmly. He pulls the taller, white-haired teen behind him while keeping a hand on Kai’s shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

“You know that's not true. You're just upset, Kai.”

“And _you_ , you always take _his_ side!!! Get over yourself, Cole! If you died, he wouldn't care! That _thing_ doesn't need us!!” The red ninja gets in his friend’s face, smoke seeping out of his mouth as if his insides were on fire. Cole scowls but stands as rigid as the stones he has power over.

Zane places his cold hand on the stronger teens shoulder, wordlessly telling him it was ok to move aside. Cole nods and takes his seat again, watching Kai carefully. The entire room is watching Kai carefully.

“Kai, would it bring you comfort if I turned my emotion chip on?” Zane questions. Nya and Jay start to make a protest, but a polite hand signals for them to stop.

“You don’t _have_ emotions,” The smoke billows out thicker now, clearly making it harder for the red ninja to breath. Zane reaches behind his head and opens one of the small hatches just under his hairline, flipping a switch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey.....so.....this is everything I have written for now....I have ideas but I kinda need to know that this is at least making sense. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to beg, but if you’re able, could I get some feedback? I’m going to try to write some more over the week.


	6. Changing for the Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kai realizes he’s not been that great and things finally calm down. At least a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long

Tears, shimmering blue tears, form in the android’s eyes. They crystallize as they run down the pale skin, forming ice shards that dig into synthetic nerves. He doubles over, soft weeping racking through his body. Zane crumples into a ball on the floor, shaking with fear at the thought of losing Lloyd. The younger boy has grown to be a central part of this odd family of friends and to lose him would destroy everything they’d grown to love.

“Kai, what the hell is wrong with you!?” Cole growls, elbowing past the fiery teenager and kneeling in front of the sobbing android.

Jay and Nya shift uncomfortably from the couch, their eyes avoiding the heartbreaking scene. None of them had ever seen Zane cry and it felt wrong somehow to watch the android shudder with grief.

“W-What if Lloyd did this because of me-me!? What if he-he ne-needed help and I did no-not know something was wr-wrong!!” He wails, blue frost spreading across his cheeks as tears only grow in intensity.

“This isn’t your fault, Lug Nut. Lloyd’s gonna be fine, just like you said…” Cole shushes, hugging Zane where they sit on the ground. The android’s anxieties bubble out of him nonetheless, his eyes searching the room as if to find answers to the questions filling his head. Nya gets up at last, taking a seat beside her friends and wrapping her arms around the both of them.

“We’re all worried, Zane, but don’t beat yourself up over this...None of us knew this was gonna happen,” She rubs both teenagers’ shoulders reassuringly, “We’re all gonna be right here for him, ok?”

“Yeah!! Plus there’s no way Lloyd would go to you about emotional stuff!” Jay chimes in, receiving a hard punch to his knee before he can join the other’s on the ground, “OW!! I mean it in a good way, Nya!!”

The lighting master squishes between her and Cole, his knee popping back into place loudly. The four teens huddle close together, whispering words of comfort to each other.

* * *

Kai stares at the scene, the burning, rage-fueled sensation in his chest faltering. All the pain feeding the flames of his anger pools into the fiery boy’s limbs, making them feel heavier than lead. Kai releases a loud sigh, a final puff of smoke drifting past his lips. 

“Is he alright…?”

He droops beside his sister, all his energy seeping out of him in waves of heat that melt the icy tears flowing down Zane’s face. Cole shoots his friend a dangerous glance before returning his attention to the android

“He’ll need to get some of his skin replaced, but he’ll be fine,” Nya answers coldly, “What the hell was that about, Kai? You don’t say a word for three days and then you just blow up on Zane? I try talking to you all this time and you just ignore me!? Aren’t I good enough for you? Don’t you think I’m capable of helping too, huh?”

The questions hurt Kai’s head. They fall over him like a wet blanket, extinguishing his flame more every second. Of course he didn’t think Nya wasn’t good enough. His little sister was smart and strong, even stronger than him most of the time. But she shouldn’t have to be. She’s had to put up with his stupid outbursts all her life, she never got to have a childhood. He let her childhood get stolen.

Kai shudders and hiccups, unable to cry anymore. He’d thrown Jay into a wall...He’d yelled at Cole...He’d made Zane hurt himself…

Kai’s shoulders droop lower, hunching over as he struggles to make tears that his anger had burned up.

Lloyd had thought the team would be happier without him, but it was always Kai who’d been the problem. He was selfish and more volatile than any of the others would ever be.

“I’m sorry...I just don’t know what to do anymore…” He says barely above a whisper, “I promised Lloyd I’d keep him safe...and I promised you I’d never let anyone hurt you...and I promised the team I’d help protect us all…” Kai clenches his fist, biting his tongue to distract from the all too familiar pain in his heart, “But I failed you, just like I failed mom and dad…”

“Mom and dad have nothing to do with this, Kai,” Nya wraps an arm around her older brother, her voice still stern, “This is about Lloyd and we all let him down. I know you blame yourself for a lot of stuff but listen,” her voice softens only slightly, “Do you think mom and dad want you to give up on yourself like this…? And you know damn well Lloyd wouldn’t want you to.”

Nya gives him a big smile and lightly punches Kai’s arm with her free hand.

“Come on, who else is gonna wrap Lloyd into the biggest blanket cocoon during sleepovers!? You always love watching him wriggle around in those things!”

Kai imagines the younger kid rolling around their living room, screeching at the top of his lungs while the entire team lost their minds laughing. The memory warms him and he smiles.

“Plus who’s gonna keep me warm when we’re on missions!? The ice machine over there!?” Jay chirps, a goofy grin on his face.

The entire team jokingly punch the lightning master at the same time. The five friends look at each other in silence. They’d all known exactly what to do in that moment.

They laugh and wipe their tears away, pulling each other into a tight hug.

“I’m sorry guys, honestly,” Kai apologizes, his smile getting bigger and more confident, “I promise I won’t do that again, ok?”

“How ‘bout you promise to stop making promises?” Cole replies, his own anger dispersed by the hopeful mood, “We’re just going to be here for Lloyd, alright? We’re a team.”

“Correct! I believe it would be wise for us to stay together in the coming days,” Zane agrees with a nod, his emotions shaken off as though they were simply snow that had grown too heavy to bear. The android’s cheeks were peeled away, revealing the intricate machinery beneath. It made Kai flinch internally, knowing he’d caused that. He made a quiet promise to himself to clean Zane’s mech for the next few years to make up for it…

“You kids aren’t trying to summon ghosts or dead warlords or whatever, are you? I hear that’s something kids are getting into these days,” Garmadon questions from the doorway, a tray of food in each of his four hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this any good....?


	7. Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lloyd is finally up and Koko is a good mom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao i'm not dead and neither is this fic

Koko rubs her thumb across her son’s forehead lovingly, humming a quiet lullaby she’d learned long before ever even imagining Lloyd. The boy takes in a deep breath, pressing against his mother’s hand. His eyes squint open, the green irises looking around with confusion and his pupils shift from slits to their normal roundness as he becomes partially conscious.

“Mom…?”

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“Did I forget to get up for school again…?”

The woman laughs quietly, a sad and exhausted sound, but still smiles brightly. At least her son wasn’t in danger anymore.

“No, you’re in the hospital again, Lloyd,” Koko moves her hand to her child’s cheek, running a light touch over the faint scars that had long ago replaced tiny scales, “How’re you feeling, green bean?”

Lloyd hums with content, a weak uplift of his lips warming his features. He rubs the sleep from his eyes, his hospital bracelet rustling like the paper lanterns that filled the city on Day of the Departed.

Koko shook the comparison off internally as she helps her son into a sitting position. Lloyd was alive, not a departed spirit.

“Tired…” Lloyd yawns, shaking his head to jolt his brain awake, “My arms hurt, but nothing too bad. What happened?”

“Your friends told me you got in a fight,” Koko explains, draping the blanket Garmadon had given her over their son’s shoulders, “Cole said you really beat up Chen.”

She keeps her hand resting reassuringly on her son’s arm as if to remind him she would always be there. His skin is cooler than a human’s as the teenager’s body had never been able to fully regulate his own body temperature naturally. There had been nights where Lloyd, when he was younger, would squeeze into his mother’s tiny bed for warmth.

“I did…?” Lloyd’s eyes swim with more confusion, desperately searching for the memory, “I just remember getting to science with Jay and then I think getting yelled at??” he looks up, his eyes full of a fear Koko hadn’t seen since he’d met Jay as a child, “I didn’t hurt someone again, did I!?”

The mother moves beside her son, pulling him into a gentle hug.

“It was an accident, sweetie. He worked you up, it’s alright…” She kisses his temple before leaning their heads together, “You didn’t do anything wrong, green bean…”

Lloyd hugs back, burrowing his face into his mom’s hair. He shudders in her arms but doesn’t cry.

“But I did, mom. Chen didn’t deserve whatever I did to him,” his words are quiet and even, “I’m supposed to protect people and I didn’t do that.”

Lloyd moves away, holding himself. He smooths his fingers across the patches of scales running along his arms, a comforting motion he’d done for himself since childhood.

“Everyone has a breaking point, sweetie. Maybe it wasn’t right, but it wasn’t your fault, I promise,” Koko smiles reassuringly, tucking a piece of hair behind her son’s ear, “You’re a good kid, you’ll think of something to make up for this.”

Lloyd nods silently and slowly, looking down with shame. Then he glances to his arms, puzzled by the bandages that covered his wrists. He touches the right one lightly, cringing at the feeling.

“Was this me…?”

Koko hesitates before nodding solemnly, unable to look her son in the eyes.

“The doctors said they weren’t deep but if Cole hadn’t gotten you here as fast as he did you might’ve bled out…” The woman places her hand on the bandages, trying to keep the image of her only son laying dead in a supply closet from invading her thoughts.

When she’d been younger, Koko had seen injuries far beyond anything Lloyd had gone through, those sights and smells haunted her every day, though she’d never show it. But Lloyd hadn’t been in a battle of life or death, he’d tried to give himself up simply for being an impulsive teenager. Koko had left home, her old life, even her husband, to give Lloyd a chance at a childhood neither she nor Garmadon had ever had. But he’d lost his childhood, and his innocence almost as fast as them. Must be a family tradition…

Lloyd had lived a hard life, full of pain and suffering and violence that he’d never felt safe enough to tell the one person who he should be able to trust beyond anyone else.

“I’m so so sorry, Lloyd…” Koko says, pulling her child into another hug, “I should’ve told you everything, I should’ve been there for you…”

“What!? No mom, this isn’t your fault at all!!” The teenager clings to his mother, squeezing her as tight as he can, “You’re the best parent in the world!! I didn’t tell you anything ‘cause I thought I could handle it. You give me everything and work so hard for us, I didn’t want to worry you with more stuff…”

“I love you, Lloyd, it’s my job to worry about you,” Koko says with a laugh, careful not to rub the scales along his spine the wrong direction as she comforts him.

“I love you too, mom,” Lloyd presses his head against his mom’s. Koko smiles and lets out a breath of relief. Hospital visits were not an uncommon occurrence for their home but they still never failed to wind her nerves tighter than a spring-loaded trap.  

Koko plants a big kiss on Lloyd’s cheek before finally letting him go, smiling brightly for the first time since arriving.

“By the way, there’s a certain group of ninja outside with a big bag of candy,” she says slyly, ruffling her son’s hair, “But I dunno, maybe you’re not feeling well enough for so much sugar yet.”

Lloyd shakes his head quickly, his pupils getting even rounder with excitement.

“I feel great, mom, really!!! I’m starving actually, please please just a few pieces!!” the words rattle out at the speed of light, the teenager nodding along with them. He was going to be fine, at least for now. Koko smiles and kisses the top of his head one last time. It’d be good to see his friends at the very least.

“I’ll go get them, green bean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, this took so long!!! I kinda lost interest for a bit and I'm still struggling to remember where I wanted this to go. Please comment so I know if I'm heading in the right direction. Sorry for the wait

**Author's Note:**

> I’m trying really hard to get back into writing by doing some fan stuff for fun for a bit. A comment would be extremely appreciated, I desperately need feedback, thank you so much for reading.


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